You Can Handle the Truth

One of the best movie lines of all-time is Jack Nicholson’s response to Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men: “You can’t handle the truth.” Premiere Magazine has it rated 92nd on their Top 100 Movie Lines list. They didn’t ask for my views so I won’t quibble, but come on, 92nd? These are the same people who listed Bond. James Bond as 51st. I rest my case. Obviously they couldn’t handle the truth either. Speaking of truth, what is it exactly? Who is the arbiter of truth? Is truth relative to humanity? Is it possible to answer these questions without first completing two advanced degrees in philosophy? This is an arena that few people tread with success. Even Jesus chose to not answer Pilate’s direct question: What is the truth? (John 18:38).

I am a huge fan of Jesus so I will admit bias at this point. I believe Jesus knew the answer to the question. I also believe Jesus could have avoided a horrible death by providing an answer that would have made it easier for Pilate to reject the capital intentions of the Hebrew leaders. The silence of Jesus had a purpose, although it’s anyone’s guess as to what that purpose was. The most quoted guess focuses on the necessity of Jesus’ death for the salvation of humankind. That could be filed under the category of “lowest possible hanging fruit.” Surely Jesus was silent for reasons other than his impending death. A hypothesis put forth by N.T. Wright is intriguing. It is his belief that the silence of Jesus was meant to highlight the collision of postmodernity (truth) and empire. Since Bishop Wright and I exist on different intellectual planets it was necessary to read his text multiple times and to finagle (most certainly a word Wright would never use) with his meaning of Postmodern. Once you get past that, it’s downhill all the way (right)!

Wright defines postmodernity as the question: “What is truth?” He sees the quest for truth as both colliding and colluding with the established world order that depicted itself as the true hope of humanity. He pits Rome as the personification of the “perfect world order” against Jesus as truth that transcends even the greatest plans of humankind. Rome saw itself as the ultimate prescription for the world. Many Hebrews bought into this possibility and as a result further distanced themselves from truth. This suggests Jesus was silent before Pilate in order to signify the absolute transcendent power of truth. Thus, truth is inherently spiritual and cannot be controlled or dispensed by humans, even if their intentions are pure. On that same note, hope cannot be placed in the instruments of empire if it is to survive. The lesson is actually simple: Great empirical intentions ultimately fail. Does this make them wrong? No, in many ways the world is a better place as a result of empires. On its best day, however, the Roman Empire was never the truth. Truth stood before them, they just couldn’t handle it.

MM (handling the truth since 1964)

I Can't Hear What You're Saying for What You're Saying

It is common to hear psychologists and counselors state that the primary obstacle to healthy and wholesome relationships is poor communication. It would be hard to argue with that premise, especially when one remembers that communication is more than the use of words. This must be a fabric in the mosaic of human DNA as the New Testament regularly mentions toxic speech practices and subsequent damage. Read James and you’ll have a sudden urge to use mouthwash; and he was writing to Christians! Of course, if your mother washed your mouth out with soap you already know that bad language has consequences. That happened to me so many times that I regularly blew bubbles when I coughed or sneezed. If you’ve ever been hurt by words you know firsthand the power of the tongue. Chances are you have also inflicted damage upon someone else with careless talk. Sadly, words go in both directions with ease. Words may seem to be free and easy but in reality they are neither.

Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks are psychologists who have published seventeen books on communication and relationships. The following is a distillation of their seven keys to great communication:

1. Listen generously (like James wrote, “be quick to listen and slow to talk”)
2. Speak unarguably (use statements of fact rather than assigning blame)
3. Appreciation (there needs to be a 5-1 ratio of appreciation to complaint)
4. Turn complaints into requests
5. Admit that you may also be part of the problem
6. Pick your battles wisely
7. Never invalidate someone’s feelings just because you don’t share them
   

It’s hard to argue that listening more and speaking less is a plus; or with seeking the positives in people rather than taking the easy option of pointing out their shortcomings; but the biggest lesson might be in not invalidating someone’s feelings. A feeling is what it is and refuting its reality won’t make it magically disappear. A kind word of appreciative affirmation might do the trick, however. So if you ever reach a communication quandary, ask WWJD (What Would James Do)? The answer will be simple: shut up and listen; always be nice; don’t complain; and if all else fails, shut up and listen. Sounds like a plan to me.

MM

Jesus Loves You, But I'm His Favorite

There is a t-shirt design that reads Jesus Loves You, But I’m His Favorite. I know this because I own one and wear it from time to time. I have yet to wear it without receiving a comment from someone I don’t know. Sadly, most of the comments have been voiced from the “who do you think you are” side of the aisle. Apparently many Christians don’t believe that I am Jesus’ favorite human. My response is always the same: “Hey, what can I say, the truth often hurts.” The conversation normally ends at that point, but the irony persists. I’m not vain and I’m not a theological nutcase. I know that Jesus loves everyone equally (let’s all sing along now, red and yellow, black and white…) but I am also convinced that Jesus loves each of us in a way that is so personal, so intimate, so individualistic, that it’s possible for each of us to feel we are His favorite and all be correct.

I wear the t-shirt mainly to elicit conversation with seekers, the almost-interested and assorted other levels of non-faith persons. I prefer to talk about matters of faith with people who haven’t yet found their place or their purpose in life. If I get to choose between an encounter with a born-again, Bible-believing, “washed in the blood” Christian and a “lost” person, give me the not-yet-found guy every time. I like to exist in a “no church words” environment and many Christians cannot resist using a minimum of three in every sentence. Sharing one’s faith is not about talking about religion or using church words, it’s about telling your unique story. If a t-shirt like mine throws you into a tizzy, you aren’t likely to tell a compelling story about personal faith. If my t-shirt leads someone to ask, “Dude, are you really his favorite,” a door opens to a conversation about God’s love. People need to know that God loves them and has a purpose for their life; they do not need to be told about a list of rules that must be followed. Grace isn’t about rules…it’s about freedom and peace. That would make for a great t-shirt design!

MM

USTABE

In the South people tend to shorten statements and words whenever possible. We save a lot of time in the South by doing so, although we are also prone to speak slowly and add a few syllables here and there, so any time saved is often lost later in the same sentence. Ustabe is an example of a Southern contraction. “I ustabe faster than I am now.” A cousin of ustabe is ustacould. “I ustacould eat doughnuts all day long and not gain weight. I ustabe skinny but now I aintnomore.” O.K., maybe it’s only my relatives that speak like this, but regional dialects are not the point of this treatise. Whether you say “ustabe” or “used to be” is a matter of choice. The real intent isn’t on contractions but on statements of past performance. When a person says they were formerly able to do something it suggests they cannot do so any longer. To some degree this makes sense as the natural life cycle of aging necessitates the reduction of many actions. A person over a certain age cannot do all of the things they were able to do twenty years earlier. Aging brings restrictions that are often hard to overcome. Dreaming dreams of a better future and goal setting should not be added to that list however. This would be true for people of any age.

Ustabe is not a derivative of the Greek language. The closest thing to this in scripture might read “I ustabe an unrepentant sinner and now I’m free in Christ.” As they say in the trade, “that’ll preach.” We are to be new creatures in Christ and as such we must have a future focus. Dwelling on past failures is not productive to spiritual growth. Focusing on past accomplishments and assuming we no longer have what it takes to make a difference is simply unscriptural. There is no retirement age for our faith lives. There is also no such thing as too small a contribution to God’s Kingdom. It doesn’t take a village to progress a church, it takes a congregation. Congregation is plural and implies everyone. All people have something to share and to contribute. But, God won’t make us do anything. Having a future view and seeking to make a difference is entirely up to us. Coasting is allowed but is not encouraged. Too much coasting will ultimately lead to a ustabe church.

It’s not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. Sir Edmund Hillary

None of us will ever accomplish excellence except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let us not cease to do the utmost, that we may incessantly go forward in the way of the Lord; and let us not despair of the smallness of our accomplishments. John Calvin

MM (ustabe lost but I aintnomore)

Cup' A Joe For Ya'?

Americans love coffee. On average Americans drink three cups of coffee each day. What demographic group drinks the most coffee you ask? Surprisingly, it’s not the uber-trendy young adults often seen on television in cool coffee shops, it’s the over-60 crowd. I’m guessing you won’t see a television show about older friends hanging out at Geezer Perk. Who’s next in daily coffee consumption? It’s the 40-59 group. This is hard to believe if you’ve been in one of the swanky coffee establishments lately. Even in a recession the crowds are large and normally on the younger side. Obviously coffee is a multi-generation beverage.

There is also a new language spoken in today’s coffee world. As a purveyor of extremely mild coffee I do not shop at the trendiest spots, nor do I understand the unique language spoken there, but my wife does and upon her request I recently pulled up to a drive-through and placed her order. She told me what she wanted and I remember staring at her in stunned silence. I want a grande skinny mocha caramel latte light whipped. “I thought you wanted coffee?” It is coffee. Sir, may I take your order? “Uh, yeah, it’s a, uh, what was that again?”

You know the world is spinning a bit too fast when it takes seven words to order coffee and coffee isn’t one of them. Where has simplicity gone? Would someone please slow down this merry-go-round ? No, because it’s not possible. We have seen more change in the past fifty years than in all of history combined. It’s stands to reason that we will experience even more in the near future. But, come on, how many cable channels do we need? Do we really benefit from being connected 24/7? Do kids really need to become skilled in every gaming system that exists? Would we all benefit from a slow walk in the park? It’s not my place to answer these questions for others; my job is to begin the conversation and steer it toward the arena of faith. So, ponder what Jesus might say about today’s speed-of-light-lifestyles? Assess the toll that stress has taken due to our deepening dependence on being connected. You know it’s getting out of hand when the laws for texting while driving are the same as driving under the influence of alcohol. It might be time to slow down, take a breath and order a cup of coffee…plain coffee!

MM

So Many Churches, So Many Choices

Ever wonder why there are so many churches in today’s world? Ever wonder why there are so many different types of churches in today’s world? Well, join the crowd as the mailing list on those questions is quite long. This is especially true for people who are familiar with the formation of the Christian church in the first century. In the beginning there was but one church, and those who worshipped, prayed, studied, and served were Christians. The one church was all about following Jesus. Overtime there were disagreements and subsequent schisms, some small and some large, and the result became the myriad total of different Christian expressions prevalent today. Today it is more likely that a person views themselves as being a _____ rather than as a Christian.

The most recent issue of benign division relates more to worship styles than to denominational or theological squabbles. Sadly, churches across the spectrum have engaged in internal strife over the style and format of worship services. All of this began after a couple of visionary pastoral leaders began churches in places where the historical and hyper-traditional worship formats no longer attracted unaffiliated younger adults. In Chicago and in Southern California these new approaches to “going to church” began to reach large numbers of people and a new strategy for evangelism and discipleship was born. Being “bandwagon-prone,” churches all over America began to copy the styles and strategies of these two mega-churches. In some places the new insights and practices worked well and churches became successful in reaching adults for Christ. Conversely, many churches and eager pastors all but destroyed their churches by instituting new worship styles. The old adage just because it works in one place doesn’t mean it will work in every location was lost in the translation and many people suffered in the process.

Traditional, Blended-Traditional, Contemporary and Emergent churches are all excellent options for reaching people for Christ, which is after all what we are called to do. It’s not that it takes all kinds of people, it’s that there are all kinds of people, so we should have unique worship and church options for all of the different types of people who need a relationship with Christ. One option isn’t better than another option, just different. Each option is valuable and obviously God-inspired. The only rule is to not be nutty. If you are a nutcase pastor leading a nutcase church you cease being a viable option for positively impacting the Kingdom.

In a nearby state there is a church that plans to burn non-King James Bibles on Halloween, along with books by authors who have been influenced by Satan. The Reverend Nutcase in this church deems Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Mother Teresa and Billy Graham as offensive writers and plans to burn their books along with Bibles not written in Middle English. I’m thinking of sending him a copy of one of my books so I can be in the company of the aforementioned Christian giants (which may be my only shot). Nutty Christians do not profit God’s plans to reach the millions of people who desperately need Him. So remember: unique churches with unique worship styles are good; nutty churches aren’t.

MM

Dear Earth, You're Only as Old as You Feel

The latest archeological testing has determined that humans did not evolve from apes after all. The 1994 find of a four-foot tall female skeleton in Ethiopia and the just released intensive testing have laid to rest the long held belief that humans evolved from a prehistoric ape. Archaeologists searching for the “Missing Link” now have to regroup and begin looking for this common ancestor of both humans and apes. Those aren’t the only scientists thrown for a loop as a result of this earth shaking discovery. Scientists who date the Earth’s age are also scrambling to find their calculators as our planet is now believed to be even older than previous research had indicated.

Theology will not be immune to this discovery as both protests and affirmations will flow from the two sides of the creation versus evolution debate. Creationists see the world as being only 6,000 years old and reject all tenets of evolution. On the other end of the spectrum are those who view the earth as being millions of years old and who readily accept many of the teachings of evolution as long as it is stated that God was intimately involved. In the middle are those who have no clue and are happy to admit it. Truth be told, that’s the best location to be in the midst of all the rancorous debate. Many of today’s best scientists are swimming upstream against the current after these findings were published. World class scientists held to the ape-to-human evolution track for most of the twentieth-century, only to be proven wrong by one find. Now they know how meteorologists feel on a regular basis. Creationists will continue to say that all of this is hooey and that carbon dating is a hoax. And the fight goes on.

So let’s find a middle ground and settle this silly fight over something so mysterious, so ethereal, and so abstract that we couldn’t possibly understand the actual truth anyway. Here’s the simple answer: GOD DID IT! If God created this rock we live on six billion years ago or six million years ago or six thousand years ago, the real story is that God did the heavy lifting. If God created dinosaurs (which most certainly existed as I saw the skeletons at Fernbank) and they died out, what’s the big deal? If humans and animals looked differently millions of years ago so be it. We’d look different today if we had to forage for food and run from saber tooth tigers and flying lizards with big teeth. No one can empirically prove God or God’s path from day one of creation to today, so why fight about it? These fights are not good for God’s Kingdom.

So go with God. God created all things and God did it in and through God’s dimension. The details are not important enough to fight over. God did it and that’s all that matters to me.

MM

The Existing God

Do you remember the now infamous article asking the question Is God Dead? It appeared in Time magazine on April 8, 1966 and was authored by John T. Ellis. Mr. Ellis recently died and the news of his passing has renewed interest in the article. In 1966 America was a much different country than it is today. This article provided almost as much fodder for pulpits as John Lennon’s observation that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, which also occurred in 1966. I believe that Mr. Ellis was attempting to initiate a public discussion on a subject many intellectuals of his day were actively questioning, but one the church was not yet open to pursuing. John Lennon made an off-hand comment that said more about 1960’s culture than about the Beatles. If you have any memory of Beatle-Mania you would likely agree that the boys from Liverpool were in many ways much more popular than Jesus. When was the last time you saw thousands of people fainting from anticipation during a hymn in church or chasing the bus carrying a preacher? In the 1960’s people would do almost anything for a ticket to see the Beatles in concert. Lennon was indicting Christians, not disrespecting Jesus. And once again, the church was masterful in missing the point.

1966 was a genuine turning point for God, Jesus and the church. Questions centered on God’s reality could no longer be dismissed with instant damnation or accusations of treason against all things holy, apple pie and the church. Intellectualism entered the fray like an unwanted guest bent on moving in to stay. Intellectualism planted roots and the church has been slow to adjust. This is not to say that spurts of intellectualism had not been in evidence throughout history, or that all churches were adverse to intellectual discourse in the sixties. The minority of churches dealt with the Ellis article in positive ways and people expanded their theology of God as a result. The majority of churches did not react positively and as a result copies of Time magazine, and five months later Beatles albums, were burned in God’s name. This’ll show ‘em bonfires raged across America and the loser in all of this hubris…was God. Nothing in scripture instructs people to disable their brains in order to become a follower of Jesus. In fact, both Jesus and Paul used intellectual approaches to teach and preach in order to impact the highly intellectual Greeks and Romans and the Hebrew leadership. Even in matters of faith a little bit of thinking goes a long way.

So thank you Mr. Ellis for advancing the discussion on God’s reality. Someone had to do it and you took great abuse for being that person. And my opinion on what God would say about all of this: Thank you for asking about me Mr. Ellis. For the record, I am alive and well. Tell your readers I love them and have a plan for their lives. And never forget that I gave you that magnificent brain for many reasons, and contemplating Me is one of the best. And please ask those bonfire people to stop. One of these days you folks are going to ruin the Ozone layer I put in place for your protection. Stay in touch.

MM (a Beatles fan since 1964)

Vampires Are En Vogue

If you peruse a book store this week you will find vampire novels among the best sellers. Just a cursory look noted seven new titles in the vampire genre and not one featured Count Dracula. Dracula is old school stuff in today’s Yeah, my boyfriend’s a vampire world. Dracula’s very-AARP, although I understand vampires don’t actually retire. In Dracula’s time it took a stake through the heart or a healthy does of holy water to do in a vampire. I haven’t read any of the new novels nor seen the movies but I’m guessing they’re harder to stop these days. This is confusing if one considers all of the modern safety protocols for interacting with blood. Dentists wear gloves, masks and plastic shields to stay safe; vampires drink blood like it’s going out of style. Hello, communicable diseases…Swine Flu…tainted blood.

I’m going on record as simply not getting it. Why the sudden fascination with vampires. They drink blood to stay alive and cannot take direct sunlight. They’re allergic to crosses and if properly fed can live forever. Is this a fad or is it the immortality angle that makes them popular? America is faddish to a fault so it’s likely that in six months vampires will give way to something else. Remember the Da Vinci Code? There were at least twenty- five similar novels that came out after Dan Brown went platinum and how many can you name? We do fads well. As to immortality, that too is a topic that resonates with people. Every major religion has a doctrine of the life to come, although major differences exist as to how that life will play out. None, however, features endless existence as a blood sucking vampire. So let’s accept vampire novels as mind candy that could make for a good read but shouldn’t be taken so seriously that the meaning of life is altered. Vampires don’t exist, nor do wizards and dragons, and much to my dismay, neither did Camelot or Excalibur. Fiction novels are one thing and life is another, so if we don’t mix the two together to an inordinate level all will be well.

MM

I Dumped Leslie Gore for Shelley Fabares

Call me a heartbreaker if you must but I was merely following my heart. In 1964 I dumped singer Leslie Gore for singer and actress Shelley Fabares. It was a tough decision and I lost sleep over it, but in the end I had to do it. I was in love with Shelley and I couldn’t pretend any longer. Those were tough days. I was nine years old and both Leslie and Shelley were in their late teens. Older women. Leslie sang on American Bandstand and Shelley was on the Donna Reed Show. Successful older women. I sent them both a letter and although I never heard from either one (very busy older successful women), I’ve always imagined Leslie was too distraught to respond and Shelley didn’t want to give up her career and move to Birmingham. They may call it puppy love but mine was of the Great Dane variety.

I’ve always wondered how emotions like love begin, especially for a young man with nine years of life experience. I didn’t have a pimple in 1964 so how could I decipher the compelling forces of attraction to the beautiful red-haired teenager on the television screen? I couldn’t. The same holds true today. I married a beautiful redhead fifteen years later and at twenty four I still couldn’t dissect the in’s and out’s of love. I knew I was in love but I couldn’t explain it. Thirty years later I can explain complex and abstract theological issues but cannot explain love. In essence, I’ve made no progress since 1964. Love has me stymied. I’m guessing it always will.

I also became a Christian in 1964. I walked the aisle (a very Baptist thing) on Easter and told a bald, chubby preacher that I was a sinner and I wanted to be baptized. I remember the compelling emotions of that day and even though I couldn’t explain them, I knew they were real. I was falling in love with God and even though it was a different type of love (there are several types spoken of in scripture), it was love and it required me to act. Today I tell people that I know God is real because I feel his presence at my emotional center. That’s a better explanation than I could have given at nine, but not by much. There are just some things in life one cannot adequately explain. Love is better demonstrated than explained. So hug someone you love. Tell them you love them. Don’t explain it, show it. And then tell God. He invented it you know!

MM (in love since 1964)

Running on Empty

I know what it’s like to lose. Eons ago I came in last in a cross country race. Well, last is a bit of a stretch. In reality I came in so last that a search party was being formed. I was so far behind the next-to-last finisher I received an ovation from both teams competing in the meet. I’ve always assumed that the ovation had more to do with hunger and being cold than it did with my finally finishing the course. I’d like to say I came in last due to getting lost, but that’s not what happened. I earned last all on my own. I was simply not ready to race at the level of that particular meet. I was new to the sport at a time when running was not a common activity. This race was two years before the running boom hit and Eugene Oregon became Mecca for runners. Running shoes had to be specially ordered and people asked what you were running from. I guess you could say I was behind my time.

I learned a great deal from finishing last that November morning in Arkansas. I know what it’s like to fail and I know what it’s like to lose. If losing builds character I have character. If losing teaches a person the finer points of winning I am finely pointed. If simply finishing is a victory I came away victorious. And, I am a better person for the experience. Why? Because there’s going to be a loss in every life and the earlier we learn to deal with the failures the better we will navigate life. Imagine if your first major flop came at age forty? How would you deal with it? Not gracefully in all likelihood. Yes, it’s better to learn to lose as a freshman cross country runner in a race you never should have run. So, in case this same thing happens to you, remember that last place really isn’t so bad. In the end, life isn’t measured by when you finish, but by how you finish!

MM

Is This Really in the Bible?

An Arizona pastor recently preached a sermon that included a prayer request that God strike the President of the United States with a brain tumor and that he die in the manner of the late Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts. A direct quote reads “I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy and I hope it happens today.” He went on to say that he does not condone killing and that his message and position centers on spiritual warfare. O.K., so it is appropriate to pray that God will afflict a person with terminal disease as long as it is benefits God’s own Kingdom? This guy’s a preacher so it is correct to expect that his statement be consistent with the Bible. Where is this found in scripture? The Old Testament possibly? It’s certainly not in the Old Testament book of Jonah. God made Jonah take His message to the arch enemies of Israel, a group who stood for everything Israel opposed. Jonah tried his best to circumvent God’s plans for the Assyrians because he, not God, hated them so. Is there a lesson here for God’s called and chosen leaders?

In short, yes there is. Lesson One: Always remember that you are not only speaking for your church or organization, but for all of Christianity as well. If you say something that is patently unscriptural and that reeks of bad theology you will do damage to God’s Kingdom. Someone will hear what you say and make decisions about the reality of God and the integrity of scripture. Lesson Two: Know scripture and theology. Assuming this Arizona minister went to seminary it is hard to believe that his theology could be so grossly incorrect. The New Testament is built upon a foundation of love, forgiveness and selfless living. The Royal Law found in James puts the needs of other people ahead of our own. No place in scripture reads Thouest hack me off so I pray that God striketh you with a terminal case of boils. Quite the contrary actually. Lesson Three: Mixing faith and politics has always made for a bad stew. Jesus made it clear that believers should not seek to overthrow Roman rule because it differed with the mission of the church. The job of the church is to reach, teach and disciple people and not to be the administrator of the country. Over the past thirty years there has been a great deal of diffusion on this subject and the end result has not been pretty. The church has become smaller and less influential and a large segment of society has written us off completely. Lesson Four: If you are a moron and break lessons one and two on a regular basis and make God look badly in the eyes of those He has called us to reach…seek a new line of work. Enough said.


MM

What Would A Psychic Do?

I was waiting patiently at a traffic light recently when I noticed a sign staked into the ground advertising a psychic reading and providing a phone number. It was a local number and if I could have reached my pen and pad I would have written it down and placed a call. I’ve always wanted to ask a psychic if they had been expecting my call. It would stand to reason that even a mid-level psychic should have that much grasp of the near future. Hey Michael, I knew you’d be calling me. “Get out. There’s no way you knew that. So what’s my favorite color?” Blue. “You’re good!”

Psychics are a sham and this particular would-be-fortune-teller is likely a recession casualty in search of new income. The sad part is business is likely booming. People want to know things about the future and other things that we have no way of knowing. Most people don’t know the capital of North Dakota but think they should know what tomorrow holds. Scripture deals with the false teachers, prophets, magicians and soothsayers who made a living through the deceit of certain future knowledge. We simply do not have a capacity to know the future. The only reality we have is the “right now.” This is the way God designed our lives and why God bids us to renew our relationship each day and seek new and fresh guidance. People don’t need a psychic, they need God. Of course, God doesn’t have a phone number and doesn’t advertise on roadside signs.

What will the future be like? Will this nasty recession end soon? Will the economy regain its legs and bring back jobs and incomes? Will the world-wide problems between people and religious groups calm down? Will we have health and peace as individuals? Will…? So many questions and so few certain answers. That’s life. We may not enjoy all of the uncertainty but it is God’s design and as such must be for our best. So all we can do is seek daily renewal and trust God for the future. And, if we think it would help all of those people who feel the need to call a psychic, we could display a sign that reads I Have the Answer to Your Questions. Call Me. It won’t be what they expect, but it will be what they need.

MM

To Tithe or Not to Tithe

With apologies to Shakespeare I put forth the following: to tithe or not to tithe, that’s the question. For many people today the applicable question might read, to make the mortgage payment… or, to purchase groceries… Today’s recession-riddled world is facing challenges of unprecedented proportion and Christians are not exempt. Christians are, however, faced with an issue that non-believers do not deal with: contributing to a church during a season of job losses and lowered income.

What are we as God’s people supposed to do about stewardship in such a mammoth economic downturn? Is the answer to this question found in scripture? In the book of Numbers perhaps? Scripture does not contain a Q & A section that gives handy answers. As great as it would be for God to have a website with a F. A. Q. page, there isn’t one so we are left with reading and praying in order to discern God’s instructions for our stewardship practices. Both Jesus and Paul spoke at length about money and the need to give ownership of all material possessions to God. Reread that sentence slowly and make sure the intent comes across. We aren’t to give all of our money and stuff to God, we are to give God the mental, emotional and spiritual control of our material possessions.

Following that line of theological thinking would lead us to continue to tithe and contribute during a recession if we still have a job. Since Billy Preston first told us that “nothing from nothing leaves nothing,” it’s made sense one cannot tithe from zero income. So pray about your current state and make the decision to continue to faith God through this awful recession. It’s likely we have all lost income and economic stability and as a result our gifts will be smaller. The key is that we continue to give as God leads us to give and we not give into a spirit of fear. Ministry, missions and evangelism must move forward. There are actually more opportunities to reach people than ever before, which is one positive stemming from the recession.

Every church and missions agency I surveyed is behind in both giving and ministry output for the year. It’s even possible that some of these entities will cease to exist if support doesn’t improve. One doesn’t need a F. A. Q. page on God’s website to know that’s a bad thing!

MM

So Many Bibles, So Many Choices

In my best Andy Rooney voice I ask, “Why are there so many different types of bibles?” This is even more curious when you consider that the letters and writings in scripture were originally penned in the language of their era, either Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek. So if Paul wrote Galations in Greek, why are there fifty different versions available in English? Are we English-speakers that picky? What’s next, individualized translations? Hey, cool Bible. What type is it? My own. I call it “Chuck’s Version, CV for short. I have a guy who did it for me.”

While I don’t own an individualized translation I do have several types of scripture in my stash. I often refer to more than one type when preparing to speak as there are subtle differences in the modern translations. I also own a King James Version that I pull out for funerals and weddings but truthfully for little else. The classic KJV of my youth is a very dated translation that is better suited for aficionados of Shakespeare. There was a day in England when thee and thou was common vernacular, but things have changed over the past four hundred years.

There’s even a new bible for patriots. I’m not sure why a patriot needs a unique bible to read. I’m patriotic and I’m fine with a generic bible. My Dad fought in two wars and he was fine with a general bible. I’m assuming that patriot in this case means Amercian patriot and if I’m right it may need to be pointed out that scripture was written thousands of years before the founding of Jamestown. In fact, the King James Bible was commissioned before any of our ancestors left the “Old Country” and settled here. Is it possible we are getting carried away with uniqueness and have gone all-boutique on scripture preferences. Hopefully the influences of reality television won’t invade and we soon find the Bachelorette Bible, or American Idol Bible, or worse, Big Brother Bible.

It’s true that some versions are better than others due to the skills of the translators, but all in all most modern (non-boutique) versions are good choices. After all, it’s not the version that makes the biggest difference. If we aren’t reading scripture it doesn’t matter if ours is the New American Standard Bible or the Three Stooges Bible. So read your bible everyday. And relax, there is no Three Stooges Bible because nuk, nuk cannot be translated from Greek!

MM